


The Second Chance

by I_just_want_to_read_and_write



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Auguste (Captive Prince) Lives, Brotherly Love, Drama, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Magic, Nicaise (Captive Prince) Lives, Post-Kings Rising, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-05-31 14:20:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15121268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_just_want_to_read_and_write/pseuds/I_just_want_to_read_and_write
Summary: Two years after Damen and Laurent have ascended their rightful thrones, abolished slavery and worked to unite their kingdoms, they are to finally wed.However, matters are complicated when the Vaskian Goddess gives Laurent and Damen what they most desire, as a wedding gift; their beloved dead friends come back to life.This means that Laurent must face his brother and tell him that he has forgiven and now loves his killer... and find out where that leaves his future.





	The Second Chance

Damen often wondered why he didn’t take the chance to run away from his obligations when his brother faked his death. He wouldn’t have stayed as Laurent’s slave of course but running to a land far away and starting over had a certain charm to it when he was faced with the difficulties that were uniting two kingdoms into one.

Such as entertaining the now mixed Council and Kyros, Troveld of Patras, the Vaskian Empress herself and her tribe all at the one dinner table. Everyone in the surrounding kingdoms had insisted on witnessing the wedding in two weeks time, most likely to ascertain whether Damen and Laurent had any intention of breaking the treaties that had been in place for two years now.

Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so uncomfortable if the council wasn’t now made up of Herode, Makedon, Nikandros, Vannes, Jord and, of all people, Jokaste. Damen had wanted to be done with her the moment she had escaped from the carriage but Laurent had insisted that they needed an heir, and the Vaskian tribe that Damen had been with in the coupling fire refused to give up any of the children he sired. So after months of tracking her down and a convoluted conversation, that Damen understood none of, Jokaste was now the mother to Artes’ heir and a member of the council.

This might of been an easier pill to swallow if the company didn’t insist on making the dinner conversation completely uncomfortable.

“How is the fish?” Damen asked Troveld politely, both of them pretending that he hadn’t witnessed Damen dressed in silks and paint, being lead about by a chain by the beautiful man sitting beside him.

“I heard you watched a pet suck Damen off in a garden when he was a slave,” Jokaste casually mentioned to Vannes in a much too loud voice. Vannes cackled and by the evil look in her eyes, she was about to join in.

“Very tender, thank you. My compliments to the chef,” Troveld was resolutely trying to tune out the various inappropriate conversations around them but his red face betrayed him.

Vannes interrupted in an equally obnoxious sound level, “Oh, yes, one does not forget that quickly. He is so hung that I was surprised when Ancel could take him all.”

“Yes, the fish is always excellent this time of year,” Damen tried, but his gaze didn’t leave his plate to hide the fact that he was also blushing. Across the table Nikandros was sitting stiffly, obviously furious at the mention of such times in mixed company but unwilling to cause more of a scene to shut it down.

Of course, Vannes was on no one's side, demonstrating that by her next comment, “You must have been a lucky girl before you started fucking his brother.”

Jokaste’s face soured a little. Damen feared for everyone’s lives.

“Make them stop!” Damen hissed into Laurent’s ear, where he was sprawled out next to him, not a care in the world.

“Why do you suppose I would do that?” his fiancé asked, lazily turning his head up to look at him.

“You promised me that you would speak to them beforehand about their behaviour tonight,” Damen insisted over Jokaste’s retelling of just how large certain parts of his late brother were. Vannes cackled in obvious disbelief and the Vaskian Empress looked on in amusement.

Laurent watched the scene unfolding like one might watch a play. Distant entertainment, no worries for anyone’s actual safety. “I changed my mind,” Laurent stole a sip of wine from Damen’s glass, “This is more fun. Otherwise, we’d only have the quality of fish to discuss. Hardly scintillating, do you think?”

Damen scowled at him.

Laurent saw this and sighed. In the pretence of reaching over to steal some of Damen’s fish on his plate, Laurent whispered in his ear, “The Vaskian’s are not impressed by men, no matter what we do but they are impressed by strong women. So I gave them both free reign for tonight to discuss whatever they wished, sexual encounters or otherwise.”

Damen looked to where the Empress was watching Vannes and Jokaste brag about their past lays in an unladylike amount of detail. Why did Laurent always have to be right, Damen lamented.

Makedon interrupted his train of thought, “Speaking of the virility of our Kings, have either of you deigned to take mistresses yet? It would be so much easier with slaves but I suppose that is no longer an option.” Makedon was one of the most furious when Damen had abolished slavery; two years later and he brought it up as much as possible, possibly thinking to annoying his Kings into reinstating them.

“You know we haven’t any intention of doing that, Makedon,” Laurent was obviously quickly tiring of being constantly questioned about his bed habits by the council, shoulders stiff even while maintaining his lazy sprawl. “We are not taking mistresses nor slaves, nor are we going to continue this conversation.”

Makedon didn’t heed the warning, “The kingdom must be safe in the knowledge of their Kings virility.”

“The kingdoms’ safety has nothing to do with their Kings ability to fuck. Enough.” Laurent’s eyes were now narrow slits, voice low as he tried to contain the conversation to their end of the table. The Vaskians who took many lovers, as was their culture, would not be pleased to hear of Laurent and Damen’s monogamy. They were a massive ally and one Laurent had no intention of offending.

The Empress called down the table, evidently able to hear after all, “I heard that King Damianos was very generous during the coupling fire some years ago. I’m sure they would welcome him back.”

Makedon’s face lit up at the idea and Damen tried to, politely, squash it, “I’m afraid that Laurent is the only one I have any intention of bedding in the future. Thank you for the offer though.”

The Empress shrugged, unconcerned.

Mkaedon’s face went red in anger, “The people must know what a strong male you are, Damianos! Are you unable to rouse with such an Ice Prince of a fiancé? We have many herbs for that, son.”

Damen’s face flamed at the titters along the table. He glanced toward the door, wishing for escape. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to stage another death and never return.

He felt a boot clad foot wrap around his ankle and looked down to Laurent. His face was as impassive as ever as he said, succinctly, “I suppose you will see for yourself, in the consummation ceremony.”

All the Akielons, including Makedon, flushed at the reference to when they would have to witness their Kings fucking. Makedon finally shut up.

Damen gratefully brushed his naked thigh against Laurent’s clothed one.

In the awkward silence, Damen drank deeply from his wine. The Empress was the first to break the silence,

“Now that the revelry is out of the way, I must tell you I come bearing three Wedding gifts for the uniting of your land. From the Gods.” She waited for the confused mutterings to die down before standing, “If you will all follow me.”

Damen met Laurent’s eyes as he stood to follow and couldn’t shake the foreboding feeling that had fallen upon him. Laurent nodded, as if he understood, and brushed a hand across Damen’s as he walked past.

The touch was enough to steal his will again. This, Damen remembered, was why he stayed. He’d take it all for the chance to be worthy of Laurent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terrible at beginnings but I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
